PollingReport.com

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     Guns               See also: Crime
Polls listed chronologically. Data are from nationwide surveys of Americans 18 & older.

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USA Today/Gallup Poll. Feb. 8-10, 2008. N=1,016 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Would you like to see gun laws in this country made more strict, less strict, or remain as they are?"

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More Strict Less Strict Remain
As Are		 Unsure  
% % % %  
2/8-10/08 49 11 38 2  
1/4-6/08 47 13 36 3  
1/15-18/07 49 14 35 2  
1/9-12/06 51 14 32 2  
1/3-5/05 52 12 35 1  
1/04 53 12 34 1  
1/03 51 15 33 1  
1/02 53 14 32 1  
1/01 54 14 31 1  

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"Do you believe the Second Amendment to the U.S. constitution guarantees the rights of Americans to own guns, or do you believe it only guarantees members of state militias such as National Guard units the right to own guns?"

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Guarantees
Rights of
Americans		 Guarantees
Members of
State Militias		 Unsure    
% % %    
2/8-10/08 73 20 7    

 

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Dec. 6-9, 2007. N=1,002 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).

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"Part of the debate about gun ownership hinges on how we interpret the U.S. constitution. The exact words of the constitution are as follows: 'A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed upon.' Do you think these words guarantee each person the right to own a gun, or do they protect the right of citizens to form a militia without implying that each individual has the right to own a gun?"

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Right of
Each Person
To Own a Gun		 Right of
Citizens to
Form a Militia		      
% %      

ALL adults

 65 31      

    Men

 72 26      

    Women

 58 35      

    Urban

 50 42      

    Suburban

 64 32      

    Rural

 73 23      

 

Gallup Poll. Oct. 4-7, 2007. N=1,010 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"In general, do you feel that the laws covering the sale of firearms should be made more strict, less strict, or kept as they are now?"

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More Strict Less Strict Kept as Now Unsure
% % % %
10/4-7/07 51 8 39 2
10/9-12/06 56 9 33 2
10/13-16/05 57 7 35 1
10/11-14/04 54 11 34 1
1/9-11/04 60 6 34 -
10/6-8/03 55 9 36 -
10/14-17/02 51 11 36 2
10/11-14/01 53 8 38 1
5/5-7/00 62 5 31 2
4/00 61 7 30 2
12/99 60 10 29 1
8/99 66 6 27 1
6/99 62 6 31 1
5/99 65 5 28 2
4/99 66 7 25 2
2/99 60 9 29 2
4/95 62 12 24 2
12/93 67 7 25 1
3/93 70 4 24 2

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1991 68 5 25 2
1990 78 2 17 3

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"Do you think there should or should not be a law that would ban the possession of handguns, except by the police and other authorized persons?"

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Should Should Not Unsure
% % %
10/4-7/07 30 68 2
10/9-12/06 32 66 2
10/13-16/05 35 64 1
10/11-14/04 36 63 1
10/6-8/03 32 67 1
10/14-17/02 32 65 3
8/29 - 9/5/00 36 62 2
4/99 38 59 3
2/99 34 64 2
12/93 39 60 1
3/93 42 54 4
3/91 43 53 4
9/90 41 55 4
1988 37 59 4
10/87 42 50 8
6/81 41 54 5

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"In terms of gun laws in the United States, which of the following would you prefer to see happen: enforce the current gun laws more strictly and NOT pass new gun laws, or pass new gun laws in addition to enforcing the current laws more strictly?" Options rotated

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Enforce
Current Laws		 Pass
New Laws		 Unsure
% % %
10/4-7/07 58 38 4
10/9-12/06 53 43 4
2/8-10/02 60 38 2
8/29 - 9/5/00 53 45 2
4/28-30/00 51 44 5

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"Now, thinking about your own situation: Do you have a gun in your home?"

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Yes No Unsure
% % %
10/4-7/07 42 57 1
10/9-12/06 43 54 3
10/13-16/05 40 59 1
10/11-14/04 38 61 1

 

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. May 4-6, 2007. N=1,028 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Would you like to see gun laws in this country made more strict, less strict, or remain as they are?"

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More Strict Less Strict Remain as
They Are		 Unsure  
% % % %  

5/4-6/07

 50 9 40 1  

 

ABC News Poll. April 22, 2007. N=788 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.5. Fieldwork by TNS.

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"Do you favor or oppose stricter gun control laws in this country?"

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Favor Oppose Unsure    
% % %    

4/22/07

 61 36 3    

10/06

 61 37 2    

5/02

 57 37 6    

1/01

 59 39 2    

5/00

 67 30 3    

4/00

 64 34 2    

9/99

 63 35 2    

8/99

 63 34 3    

5/99

 67 31 1    

.

"Would you support or oppose a law requiring a nationwide ban on [see below]?"

.
Support Oppose Unsure    
% % %    

.

"Semi-automatic handguns, which automatically re-load every time the trigger is pulled"

   4/22/07

 55 41 3    

.

"The sale of assault weapons"

   4/22/07

 67 30 3    

   5/00

 71 27 2    

   9/99

 77 22 1    

   5/99

 79 19 2    

   6/94

 80 18 2    

.

"People carrying a concealed weapon"

   4/22/07

 42 55 3    

   9/99

 49 48 2    

.

"The sale of handguns, except to law enforcement officers"

   4/22/07

 38 60 3    

   5/00

 38 59 3    

   9/99

 32 65 3    

.

"Do you think stricter gun control laws would reduce the amount of violent crime in this country, or not?"

.
Would Would Not Unsure    
% % %    

4/22/07

 49 50 2    

4/00

 51 48 2    

9/99

 50 48 1    

.

"What do you think is the best way to reduce gun violence in this country: by passing stricter gun control laws, or by stricter enforcement of existing laws?" Options rotated

.
Stricter
Laws		 Stricter
Enforcement		 Both (vol.) Neither (vol.) Unsure
% % % % %

4/22/07

 29 52 9 8 1

4/00

 33 53 7 5 2

.

"If you agreed with a political candidate on other issues, but not on the issue of gun control, could you still vote for that candidate, or not?"

.
Could Could Not Unsure    
% % %    

4/22/07

 60 31 9    

.

"Do you or does anyone in your house own a gun, or not?"

.
Yes No      
% %      

4/22/07

 45 55      

10/06

 42 58      

10/02

 41 59      

5/00

 45 55      

4/00

 43 56      

9/99

 44 56      

5/99

 46 53      

.

"Which of the following do you think is the primary cause of gun violence in America: the availability of guns, the way parents raise their children, or the influence of popular culture such as movies, television, and the Internet?" Options rotated

.
Availability
Of Guns		 Way Parents
Raise Kids		 Popular
Culture		 Other (vol.) Unsure
% % % % %

4/22/07

 18 35 40 5 2

.

"Do you think states should or should not be required to report mentally ill people to a federal database, in order to prevent them from buying guns?"

.
Should Should Not Unsure    
% % %    

4/22/07

 83 13 4    

 

CBS News/New York Times Poll. April 20-22, 2007. N=644 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4.

.

"In general, do you feel the laws covering the sale of handguns should be made more strict, less strict, or kept as they are now?"

.
More Strict Less Strict Kept as
They Are		 Unsure  
% % % %  

4/20-22/07

 66 4 28 2  

5/10-13/00

 71 3 26 1  

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"Would you favor or oppose a ban on the sale of all handguns, except those that are issued to law enforcement officers?"

.
Favor Oppose Unsure